Child Soldiers

To the briefest definition, child soldiers are children taken by armies or rebel groups in not so wealthy countries and forced to participate in military service and perform other malicious acts.

A 13 year old boy carrying around an ak47 and participating in the war

Child soldiers are a huge problem in places like Africa, in Africa a rebel group called the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) is fighting against the government by raiding villages and killing people. The LRA keeps its numbers by capturing children that are young enough to be influenced in a bad way, yet old enough to be trained to kill.

Children are often forced to fight or to be killed.

Each day child lives are ruined or even completely lost, most of these kids haven't even finished school.

Even if some child soldiers escape these tragic war-filled countries and arrive somewhere safe like the US, they are often alone and lost, and constantly are hurt with the memories of what they have done.

No one should be surrounded by death, drugs, killing, and suffering. Especially not a child...

With more awareness towards this worldwide problem, more children can be saved and these terrible army groups can be defeated. If more people want this to end, then more will be done to end it. Consider donating to an organization that builds safe houses and schools in these non wealthy countries. Also consider donating to organizations that send care packages and medicine to countries like Africa. Please help so less children can grow up surrounded by evil.

A very famous organization that helps fight the use of child soldiers is the Invisible Children Organization